Social Studies Notes
The Greater Antilles - These are the largest islands located in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea. They
make up about 90% of the landmass of the entire West Indies.
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Cuba
Hispaniola ( Haiti and Dominican Republic)
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
Cayman Islands
The Lesser Antilles - These are the smaller islands that form a long, curving arc from the Virgin Islands
down to the coast of South America.
Windward Islands - These are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles. They are called "Windward"
because they face the prevailing trade winds.
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Dominica
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Grenada
Martinique
Leeward Islands - These are the northern Islands of the Lesser Antilles. They are “leeward” because they
are away from the direct path of the wind compared to the Windward group.
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Antigua and Barbuda
St. Kitts and Nevis
Anguilla
Monsterrat
British Virgin Islands
US Virgin Islands
Guadeloupe
St. Martin/ St Marteen
St. Barthelemy
The Leeward Antilles - Located just off the coast of Venezuela
ABC Islands
-​ Aruba
-​ Bonaire
-​ Curacao
The Mainland Territories - These are the countries that are physically part of the Central or South
American mainland but are culturally and historically tied to the Caribbean (and are usually part of
CARICOM)
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Guyana
Belize
Suriname
French Guiana
Lines of Latitude and Longitude
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Latitude : Imaginary horizontal lines parallel to the Equator, dividing the Earth into northern and
southern hemispheres
Key Lines of Latitude
1)​ Equator - Divides the Earth into northern and southern hemispheres
2)​ Tropic of Cancer - Northern most point of the tropics
3)​ Tropic of Capricorn - Southern most point of the tropics
4)​ Arctic and Antarctic - Define polar regions
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Longitude : Imaginary vertical lines running from the North pole to the South Pole, diving the
Earth into eastern and western hemispheres
Key Lines of Longitude
1)​ Prime Meridian - Divides the Earth into eastern and western hemispheres
2)​ International Date Line - Opposite the Prime Meridian serves as a date boundary.
Indicators of Development - These are statistics or measures used to assess how developed a country is
based on economic and social conditions.
Economic Indicators of Development
-​ GDP (Gross Domestic Product) : Total value of goods and services produced within a country.
-​ GNP (Gross National Product) : Includes income from citizens and businesses abroad.
-​ Per Capita Income : Average income earned per person.
-​ Cost of Living : Amount of money required to cover basic expenses
Social Indicators of Development
-​ Education : Access to and quality of education
-​ Life Expectancy : Average number of years a person is expected to live
-​ Infant Mortality Rate : Number of infant deaths 1,000 live births
-​ Social Services : Access to healthcare, housing and social welfare programs.
TYPES OF MAPS
Topographic : These are detailed, large-scale maps that show both physical features (mountains, rivers,
vegetation) and human features (roads, buildings, bridges).
Thematic Maps: These maps focus on a specific theme or topic. Such as Climate&Whether Maps,
Population Density Maps
NATURAL DISASTER
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A natural disaster is a sudden, extreme event caused by environmental factors that leads to
widespread destruction, loss of life, and damage to property or the environment. For example
Hurricanes and Earthquakes.
A natural hazard is a naturally occurring physical process or event (such as a storm, earthquake,
or volcanic eruption) that has the potential to cause harm to people, property, or the environment.
Other examples includes landslides.